The Western fringe of the Kingdom of The Town

[Aikifox]

Barren, desolate, and snow-covered. This area holds many secrets.

Due west from the town is an innocent looking spire, about five storeys high. It seems safe enough.

Seems...

[Aikifox]

Argen, the silver dragon, comes up over a ridge, looking down into a bit of a valley. In the very centre stands a grey, stone, obelisk.

"There temple... now where sword?"

[Atreyu the Masked LLama]

*The llama strains his eyes, looking for something sword like. A glint of metal maybe?*

[Aikifox]

The only thing glinting in the fresh powder is the fresh powder.

The snow makes a visual search even harder, however it has freshly fallen, covering any dents that may have been made.

[Rebonack]

Maph'tey walks along, his feet crunching in the snow.

"So this is a magic sword, right?"

[Atreyu the Masked LLama]

"We can try to move in closer. White wool on white snow is good for hiding. Well, for me anyway."

[Aikifox]

The dragon blinks and nods a bit. "Like magic, but not same." He moves towards the temple slowly, placing himself directly between it and The Town, hoping to run into the blade.

"They careful. Might attack any time." an arrow glints off of the dragon's scales and it looks up. "This... bad."

[phoenixineohp]

Phoenixineohp casts Detect Magic.

She sees the arrow and her fire lights up around her.

[Rebonack]

Maph'tey decides that getting shot with arrows would be unpleasant, so he creates a wall of some strange glassy material hovering a good distance off the ground interposed between the temple and the small band of adventurers.

"Well, unless they decide to advance on us that should be reasonable protection."

[Atreyu the Masked LLama]

"But we've got to get in closer to find the sword" *he growls in frustration.*

[Aikifox]

An arrow strikes the 'glass' and makes a chiming noise. It falls to the ground and makes a noise characteristic of metal-on-metal. The dragon doesn't register this as relevant and looks around.

[Rebonack]

The wall slowly advances forward to allow the group to continue.

"This isn't an immobile wall of force, it's just a wall," Maph'tey says with a grin. Unfortunately he's too busy making his comment to hear the clang.

[phoenixineohp]

((Detect Magic?))

Phoenixineohp closes her eyes and starts to search for the sword.
(Your call on it. She's using a species ability to mentally search for something. She can see it or feel it.)

[Atreyu the Masked LLama]

*The llama keeps looking around for attacks or swords that will save his friend's life*

[Aikifox]

There is a faint shimmer where the arrow clanged.

[-.-]

The dragon slowly begins to move forward aswell.

The clang happened about 15 feet ahead of him.

[phoenixineohp]

Phoenixineohp focuses on the shimmer and directs her telekinesis towards it, trying to lift it into the air.

[Rebonack]

Maph'tey at this point notes the telekinetic force tugging at something in the snow. He pauses, the barrier halting its advance along with him.

"Found something?"

[phoenixineohp]

Phoenixineohp, keeping her eyes closed focuses more.
"Not sure yet..."

[Atreyu the Masked LLama]

*The llama wags hopefully, staying close to Pxp*

[Aikifox]

Argen leaps backward as the snow moves aside to reveal a sword. From this distance, it appears to have a black scabbard with white stitching. Argen blinks a bit and watches it.

[phoenixineohp]

Phoenixineohp lifts it up and brings it a bit closer.
"Is this it?"

[Aikifox]

As the blade gets closer, it is revealed to be silver with circles of ammolite inlaid. The hilt is snow-covered, but it seems black beneath.

"Maybe... Pull sword."

[phoenixineohp]

Phoenixineohp shakes it off a bit so that the snow falls off. She brings it within ten feet of the group, keeping the blade pointing down.

[Aikifox]

The sword is sheathed still. The dragon growls a bit. "Need see blade. Pull sword, please!" An arrow explodes against the 'glass' making a loud chime (and i'm not certain if it'd shatter...)

[Atreyu the Masked LLama]

*Atreyu studies the blade, hopeful*

[phoenixineohp]

Phoenixineohp tilts her head and then the 'ah' moment hits her. The sword pulls up, almost entirely out of it's sheath. Phoenixineohp opens her eyes and looks at it, trying to see if she recognizes it.

[Aikifox]

The blade shimmers quietly, a faint blue aura surrounding it's sharp edge. "That's it! Quick! Return to Aiki! We come back and fight later!"

(yes it was that easy... the arrow hit the sword, against all odds... xD)

[phoenixineohp]

Phoenixineohp nods and the sword sheaths itself. It keeps floating in the air about five feet away from her as she heads back with the group.

[Aikifox]

The dragon takes to the air and grabs the sword in it's teeth, headed full-tilt back towards the town.

(hurry back everyone... xD)

[Rebonack]

The barrier holds fast. It may look like glass, but it appears to be unearthly durable.

Maph'tey warps a gate into existence, temporarily bridging the space between the party's current location and the temple.

"Let's get going then."

[Atreyu the Masked LLama]

*The llama scurries back, making sure Pxp and Maphtey are with him*

[phoenixineohp]

Well... they all make it back some how. :P

[Rebonack]

Maph'tey certainly makes it back to Town, though his feet are cold now.

[Aikifox]

Alraune and Argen approach the eastern rim of the valley, looking over the snow covered ground at the innocent-looking stone tower.

"There it is..." he says quietly, completely transfixed on his goal. The temperature is far below the freezing point, but it is something Alraune is used to. He shrugs off the effects easily, his breath not even showing in the air.

Argen just watches quietly.

[Fenric]

The avatars and guardians look down at the spire, simply ignoring the temperature.

Ugly enough place
It is time to cause some damage.

Fenric and Myobu motion to Kio and head off one way; meanwhile Myobi, the Secretary, and Bishamon take the other path.

Earl Fenric and Fudo stand by Deadly, ready to accompany Alraune.

[Deadly]

Kio follows Fenric and Myobu, looking around warily. Deadly waits for the fun to begin.

[Aikifox]

Alraune waits for the signal from Fenric and Myobi, staring at the target.

"Deadly, you take this third. I need to be able to concentrate on finding the Mindbearer. Whatever you do, don't stop until that sword is in pieces. Got that?"

[Fenric]

Fenric gets into position, and lets Earl Fenric know.

Shortly after, Myobi is also ready.

Earl Fenric turns to Alraune

The others are in position.

[Deadly]

Deadly nods "Sure."

((I hate being sick, nothing makes sense... Deadly does whatever he's supposed to do at this point, whether that means moving forth or staying behind.))

[Aikifox]

Alraune nods and says, "We move, now." With that he grabs his trident and runs over the hill, silently.

[Rebonack]

The mail-clad fist of Rebonack suddenly pops into existence holding Maph'tey firmly by the tail. It then plops him face first into a snowdrift and promptly vanishes.

The Traveler shakes himself off.

"What did I miss?"

[Fenric]

Earl Fenric chuckles at the snow-clad Maph'tey

Nothing as yet, traveler. The fun should begin soon, though.

This group must make a bizzare sight: Earl Fenric, a dark lord of Ravenloft in company with the buddhist guardian Fudo, and the insane raccoon god Deadly are accompanying the frosty Alraune and a little dragon.

Earl Fenric draws his dark sword and Fudo's spear bursts into flame as they charge after Alraune.

Away to the flanks; Fenric, Myobu, and Kio charge from one side while Myobi, the Secretary of Rice, and the buddhist guardian Bishamon charge from the other.

[Deadly]

Deadly grins as he's surrounded by black flames and leaps into the air, flying slightly behind the group.

Kio casts Death Ward and Mind Blank and follows

[Fenric]

(( On my way home. Will be back for a short while in half an hour, then dinnertime... hopefully not quite as long as yesterday. ))

[Rebonack]

Maph'tey is close behind the Earl's group, the strange distortion around him leaving an eerie afterimage in his wake.

[Aikifox]

Alraune simply runs quietly, approaching the tower at a rapid pace.

At just under 150 feet an arrow flies through his hair, impacting the snow and sending a small amount flying. With an angry yell he picks up a bit of speed and closes to within 50 feet, several black-clad figures appearing and surrounding him, attempting to impede his path.

With a growl he causes the area immediately around him excluding the place he stands to raise 20 feet and immediately dissipate, tossing the acolytes to the ground and bounding over them.

(as per Control snow and ice, Frostburn)

[Deadly]

Deadly sends a shockwave of Sonic energy at the tower as he closes in on it

Kio turns into a globe of light and flies for the top of the tower, trying to get to any archers, or possibly get inside

[Aikifox]

The tower stands but a chime eminates from within. Alraune is heard shouting angrily, "CRYSTALS! DON'T USE SONIC!"

The archers stop firing, most likely because they'd just been thrown off of the tower by the arrival of a bandage-wrapped creature carrying a gruesome looking steel sword. Hilt dressed with blood-red fur and a long red crystal hanging from a chain.

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d175/Aikiduven/Soulbane.jpg

The ghastly creature is wearing a blindfold and through the whisps of hair it seems to have no ears. It's lips are sewn shut but it smiles anyway, levitating three crystals behind it.

A screaming, windswept voice floods over the battlefield, stopping Alraune in his tracks.

"Aaah! More to add to my legions!"

The crystal pulses with every syllable.

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d175/Aikiduven/mindbearer.jpg

It lunges into the air, screaming and landing on the ground immediately before Alraune.

"Didn't I already kill you?" it mocks, snickering evilly as it attempts to drive the blade into Alraune's side.

The fox pushes his trident's handle into the blade and forces it away, growling.

"Get inside! Find the crystals!" he shouts, slamming the trident's end into the Mindbearer's ankle.

[Deadly]

((I have to go. I simply can't think clearly.

Fenric, you can NPC Deadly and Kio if you wish, as long as you leave Deadly alive at the end))

[Aikifox]

[>.< we're going to have to finish this later... Gotta tend to company.]

[Fenric]

(( Sorry that took long.

I forgot something important while at work.

Something really, really important.

really....

really....

important.

My 5th wedding anniversary. :biggrin: ))

[Aikifox]

(I Just got back meself... Feel like picking up?)

[Fenric]

(( Sure... although you're about to loose one. ))

[Fen3]

Earl Fenric stumbles in the snow and falls to his knees with a horrified and pained expression. His eyes go wide in agony as his very substance unravels and he ceases to exist. Fenric and Myobi both go blurry and indistinct as something indescribable changes in the fabric of reality.

[Rebonack]

Maph'tey suddenly halts mid-stride, mainly due to the fact that he's all too familiar with what it looks like when someone suffers existence failure. He glances about, confused for a moment before taking a step back from the universe to see if he can't figure out what just rent the poor fox's time-line out of the Continuum.

[Fenric]

What Maph'tey Finds (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=2267230&postcount=635)

[Fenric]

Fenric and Myobi snap back into focus. They each blink a few times, then shake their heads, uncertain what just happened, and then charge the tower with their respective groups.

[Rebonack]

Maph'tey resumes the charge, though the sudden loss of Fenric seems to have left him someone unsure of whom to follow.

[Fenric]

From one side, a stream of lightning and fire blasts into the archers in the tower as Myobi triggers her sai.

From the other, a stream of icy death precedes a column of intense flame falling from the heavens as Myobu and Fenric join the attack.